THE ACREAGE, Fla. (WPTV) Florida Fish and Wildlife is ramping up checks of wildlife permit holders this storm season to make sure owners of exotic animals have plans in place in the event of a major hurricane.

Officers are going from permit holder to permit holder of bigger animals, like pythons or alligators, to make sure there are safeguards in place to prevent an escape of the animal in a storm.

“I think about it every time we have a storm and every hurricane season. I think about it almost daily,” said Fred Grunwald, a wildlife permit holder in The Acreage.

Grunwald has all sorts of wildlife that many people consider dangerous — snakes, crocodiles, turtles and lizards– fill his backyard.

“It was an eye opener for me when (Hurricane) Wilma came through here,” said Grunwald.